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Results PERAK GSHS 2012

3.10 Tobacco Use

Introduction

About 1.1 billion people worldwide smoke and the number of smokers continue to increase. Among
these, about 84% live in developing and transitional economy countries. Currently 5 million people
die each year from tobacco consumption, the second leading cause of death worldwide. If present
consumption patterns continue, it is estimated that deaths from tobacco consumption will reach be
10 million people per year by 2020 (64). The overwhelming majority of smokers begin tobacco use
before they reach adulthood. Among those young people who smoke, nearly one quarter smoked
their _rst cigarette before they reached the age of ten. Smokers have markedly increased risks of
multiple cancers, particularly lung cancer, and are at far greater risk of heart disease, strokes,
emphysema, and many other fatal and non-fatal diseases. If they chew tobacco, they are at risk for
cancer of the lip, tongue and mouth. Children are at particular risk from adults’ smoking. Adverse
health e]ects include pneumonia and bronchitis, coughing and wheezing, worsening of asthma,
middle ear disease, and possibly neuro-behavioural impairment and cardiovascular disease in
adulthood. Many studies show that parental smoking is associated with higher youth smoking in
youth (65).

Findings

The prevalence of current cigarettes smokers was 8.8% (95% CI: 6.31-12.05) with signi_cantly more
males [15.9% (95% CI: 10.92-22.58)] than females [1.6% (95% CI: 0.71-3.60)] reported this (Table
10.1.1). Among those who ever smoked cigarettes, 77.4% (95% CI: 71.94-82.01) had _rst tried a
cigarette before the age of 14 years (Table 10.2.1). Overall, 4.6% (95% CI: 2.97-7.20) currently smoked
tobacco products other than cigarettes (Table 10.3.1).The prevalence of using shisha/hookah in the
past 30 days was 1.6% (95% CI: 0.85-3.09) (Table 10.4). Among those who smoked cigarettes in the
past 12 months, 84.9% (95% CI: 74.07-91.66) had tried to stop smoking (Table 10.5). A total of 38.0%
(95% CI: 33.66-42.54) reported having been exposed to people who smoked in their presence in the
past seven days and it was signi_cantly higher among males [47.3% (95% CI: 40.38-54.26)] as
compared to females [28.7% (95% CI: 24.40-33.44)] (Table 10.6.1). About 39.6% (95% CI: 36.33-42.99)
had parents or guardians who used any form of tobacco including cigarettes (Table 10.7). Majority
of the students [87.4% (95% CI: 83.76-90.33)] reported they would de_nitely not smoke a cigarette in
the next 12 months and it was signi_cantly higher among females [95.9% (95% CI: 93.48-97.48)] than
males [79.1% (95% CI: 71.76-84.89)] (Table 10.8). Additionally, majority [87.2% (95% CI: 83.97-89.86)]
reported they would de_nitely not smoke a cigarette if one of their best friends o]ered them
cigarettes and this was signi_cantly higher among females [93.53% (95% CI: 93.53-97.70)] than males
[78.3% (95% CI: 71.21-84.07)] (Table 10.9). Among the non-smokers, 8.8% (95% CI: 7.04-11.03) were
susceptible to smoking and this was signi_cantly higher in males [13.9% (95% CI: 10.49-18.27)] than
females [4.4% (95% CI: 2.71-7.07)] (Table 10.10).

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